Chapter XXII.

Martin preaches Repentance even to the Devil.

Now, the devil, while he
tried to impose upon the holy man by a thousand injurious arts, often
thrust himself upon him in a visible form, but in very various shapes.
For sometimes he presented himself to his view changed into the person
of Jupiter, often into that of Mercury and Minerva. Often, too, were
heard words of reproach, in which the crowd of demons assailed Martin
with scurrilous expressions. But knowing that all were false and
groundless, he was not affected by the charges brought against him.
Moreover, some of the brethren bore witness that they had heard a demon
reproaching Martin in abusive terms, and asking why he had taken back,
on their subsequent repentance, certain of the brethren who had, some
time previously, lost their baptism by falling into various errors. The
demon set forth the crimes of each of them; but they added that Martin,
resisting the devil firmly, answered him, that by-past sins are
cleansed away by the leading of a better life, and that through the
mercy of God, those are to be absolved from their sins who have given
up their evil ways. The devil saying in opposition to this that such
guilty men as those referred to did not come within the pale of pardon,
and that no mercy was extended by the Lord to those who had once fallen
away, Martin is said to have cried out in words to the following
effect: “If thou, thyself, wretched being, wouldst but desist
from attacking mankind, and even, at this period, when the day of
judgment is at hand, wouldst only repent of your deeds, I, with a true
confidence in the Lord, would promise you the mercy of
Christ.”3838 This is a truly
noteworthy passage. It anticipates a well-known sentiment of Burns, the
national bard of Scotland. In his Address to the Deil, Burns has
said that if the great enemy would only “tak a thocht an’
men’,” he might still have a chance of safety, and this
idea seems very much in accordance with the opinion of St. Martin as
expressed above. Hornius, however, is very indignant on account of it,
and exclaims: “Intolerabilis hic Martini error. Nec
Sulpicius excusatione sua demit, sed auget. Origenes primus ejus
erroris author.” O what a holy
boldness with respect to the loving-kindness of the Lord, in which,
although he could not assert authority, he nevertheless showed the
feelings dwelling within him! And since our discourse has here sprung
up concerning the devil and his devices, it does not seem away from the
point, although the matter does not
15bear immediately upon Martin, to relate what
took place; both because the virtues of Martin do, to some extent,
appear in the transaction, and the incident, which was worthy of a
miracle, will properly be put on record, with the view of furnishing a
caution, should anything of a similar character subsequently
occur.

38 This is a truly
noteworthy passage. It anticipates a well-known sentiment of Burns, the
national bard of Scotland. In his Address to the Deil, Burns has
said that if the great enemy would only “tak a thocht an’
men’,” he might still have a chance of safety, and this
idea seems very much in accordance with the opinion of St. Martin as
expressed above. Hornius, however, is very indignant on account of it,
and exclaims: “Intolerabilis hic Martini error. Nec
Sulpicius excusatione sua demit, sed auget. Origenes primus ejus
erroris author.”